Council could allocate more money for untested rape kits

City leaders are expected to decide if more funding should be given to MPD.

Memphis Police Director Toney Armstrong says many of those untested sex assault kits go back as far as the eighties.

(WMC-TV) – Thousands of untested rape kits are gathering dust inside the Memphis Police Department. The City Council could decide if more money should be used to help solve these cases.

During the Tuesday morning meeting, city leaders are expected to decide if more funding should be given to Memphis Police to make headway on these backlogged rape cases.

In August, the City Council approved a half million dollar grant to screen the decades old rape kits, but put the discussion of an additional $2.5 million on hold.

Memphis Police Director Toney Armstrong says many of those untested sex assault kits go back as far as the eighties. Since he took over the department, all sex assault cases have been sent to the TBI for testing, but those thousands of other kits are still sitting in storage in three different locations inside the Department.

The Memphis Area Women's council plans to be at today's meeting to show their support for the urgency of getting the kits tested. They also hope their presence will allow for change in future rape cases.

"We want to be there and have other women there to show that it's a very important project and it's part of our communities response to rape that needs to be much more energetic," said Executive Director Deborah Clubb.

Council members are expected to meet on the kits starting at 9 Tuesday morning. We'll have a crew at that meeting and bring you the latest on Action News 5 at 5.

Here in the city that's home to "University-6," as the University of Louisville is identified in a federal criminal complaint filed by the Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, the feeling of devastation is exceeded only by anger and disbelief.

Here in the city that's home to "University-6," as the University of Louisville is identified in a federal criminal complaint filed by the Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, the feeling of devastation is exceeded only by anger and disbelief.